Costs involved in developing the English Baccalaureate
The cost for promoting and researching the idea of a baccalaureate.
Documents
Details
- Date requested: 7 February 2013
- Date responded: 7 March 2013
Request
How much money has it cost to prepare to change to the English Baccalaureate from GCSEs? This figure would include the cost of the feasibility study and the marketing costs as well as the planning and additional costs. As a teacher who works in a school where we are facing financial difficulties, the information would be very useful.
Response
The Department holds some but not all of information which you have requested.
The ‘Reforming Key Stage 4 Qualifications’ consultation involved a number of activities including the publication of formal consultation documents, meetings with interested parties/listening events, online communications and analysis of the evidence gathered. These activities were carried out as part of normal administration and staff costs. The Department for Education does not hold information on the cost of these activities as it is not collated on a central basis.
In terms of wider work on development of English Baccalaureate Certificate policy, again, the Department does not hold information on the cost of this activity where it was carried out as part of normal administration and staff costs, as this information is not collated on a central basis.
The Department does hold some information on costs of English Baccalaureate Certificate development which is outside the Department’s normal administration costs. This information can be disclosed and is set out below.
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Economic research on qualification market reform, cost £40,585.20. (This research will remain useful as ministers keep open the option of qualification market reform, as the Secretary of State said on 7 February 2013 in the House of Commons “we retain the option of moving in that direction if exam boards do not change the way in which they operate”).
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A patent on the trademark English Baccalaureate Certificates, cost £270.
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Subject and assessment expertise to provide advice on English Baccalaureate Certificate subject content requirements and assessment principles, cost £960.
The Department has contracted expertise to draft national curriculum programmes of study for key stages 3 and 4 and essential subject content for new qualifications. All this work is being carried forward - either into the draft programmes of study which were published in February 2013, or into subject content of reformed GCSEs. Some of this work would also have been relevant had the government proceeded with proposals to introduce English Baccalaureate Certificates, but the Department does not hold or collate data which would specifically identify those aspects.